Grocery price war continues: Tesco’s rebound hurts Asda as Aldi reaches record market share March 10, 2015 Tesco's return to growth is stealing market share from Asda, according to the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel. The sector as a whole is still hugely competitive: the grocery price war has driven supermarket deflation to a record level of 1.6 per cent for the 12 weeks to March 1. Kantar estimated that this had [...]
Tesco recovers from 18 months of slow sales March 10, 2015 TESCO has posted its strongest performance in 18 months, with sales up 1.1 per cent compared with 2014, according to industry data for the 12 weeks ending 1 March. The latest grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel suggest that the major overhaul of strategy at the UK’s biggest retailer by new chief executive Dave Lewis [...]
Premier League: Rodgers revels in Liverpool’s surge towards top four February 22, 2015 SOUTHAMPTON 0 LIVERPOOL 2 LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers believes his side overcame a sizeable hurdle in their quest for Champions League qualification after beating fellow top-four challengers Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium yesterday. Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho curled home a stunning early opener while England forward Raheem Sterling ensured maximum points by firing past Saints [...]
Debenhams share price plummets despite online sales uplift January 13, 2015 The figures Shares in troubled department store Debenhams fell nearly eight per cent in mid-morning trading, despite figures published this morning suggesting it had a record Christmas. The retailer said like-for-like sales in the four weeks to 10 January rose 4.9 per cent. Particularly successful were online sales, which went up by 29 per cent. Demand [...]
Premier League: Chelsea’s joy of six curbed by ref gripes March 15, 2015 CHELSEA 1 SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho celebrated his team stretching their Premier League lead to six points yesterday but insisted it was an injustice that the gap was not even greater. Mourinho took issue with the award of a penalty against midfielder Nemanja Matic, from which Southampton’s Dusan Tadic equalised to cancel out [...]
Tesco poaches Waitrose ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty to aid turnaround January 15, 2015 Advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) has quit working with Waitrose and moved across to help Tesco rebuild consumer trust in its brand. The supermarket’s chief executive Dave Lewis also confirmed the appointment of consultancy firm Blue Rubicon. “We are assembling a small team of world class advisers to work on the turnaround of our [...]
Chinese on brink of House of Fraser bid March 31, 2014 HOUSE of Fraser is on the verge of a takeover by a Chinese conglomerate, in a landmark deal valuing the retailer at £450m. Chinese powerhouse Sanpower Group, led by 49-year-old multi-millionaire Yuan Yafei, has tabled an all-cash offer to buy out the 165-year-old British department store’s diverse patchwork of shareholders and its £160m of debts. [...]
House of Fraser sales hit record for new owners April 15, 2014 BOOMING online sales helped House of Fraser deliver record gross profits last year, the department group said yesterday in the wake of its acquisition by Chinese conglomerate Sanpower. House of Fraser’s adjusted earnings rose 8.3 per cent to £60.2m in the year to 25 January while gross profits hit £430.6m – its highest ever level, [...]
Queen’s Awards for Enterprise: Her Majesty grants 141 firms lucrative business prize April 20, 2015 Dozens of British firms are in line for a Queen’s enterprise award today to recognise their achievements in international trade, innovation and sustainable development. The award can provide a massive boost to ambitious firms with robust growth targets. One winner last year was EnergyNet, which organises a global portfolio of investment conferences focusing on the [...]
Ashley fails to derail House of Fraser takeover April 7, 2014 HOUSE of Fraser’s sale to a Chinese conglomerate is set to go ahead, despite Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley’s efforts to scupper the deal, City A.M. understands. Chinese powerhouse Sanpower Group agreed to buy 89 per cent of the department store chain on Friday, in a deal valued at around £450m. Sportswear magnate Ashley has [...]